Doomed…so doomed.
This morning, I had a chance to see my not-so-distant-and-very-dim future. It reinforces what I wrote earlier in this post and regretfully, I now must earn more and more money so that I can sign myself into a nursing home, when the need arises.
So, yea. No more saving money for the kids, I think I will let Mr.T worry about that. No more saving money for my material "needs". I think my future depends heavily on my limited savings.
See, my grandma, strickened with Alzheimer’s is here to see her great grandkids. Normally, she’ll be cantankerous and it would be quite manageable. She normally gripes about wanting to visit her sister who has a Hair Parlour "just around the corner", or that she wants to go to Penang, which is…. you guessed it, "just around the corner". The usual "they’ve changed the roads" reply normally circumvents the issue and all will be forgotten.
Her usual demeanour was changed when my aunt left the house to run her errands. As I gave her my laundry to fold (I had to find something to keep her mind busy), she was already simmering with anger. She was muttering to herself in Foochow.
When I sat down with her, she started yelling at me. About how my aunt was a evil woman, bla bla bla, forever tormenting her, making her do hard labour around the house.
Luckily, I knew that this is one of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. They tend to condemn the ones closest to them. But the problem was, I knew if I tried to tone the mood down, she’d get even more angry for trying to defend my aunt. She started praising her wayward son as if he was god and berating my aunt as if she was the evil devil herself.
She hates being shuttled around from place to place whenever my aunt has an appointment or errands to run. The maid already left ..hence, no one is in the house to jaga her. I think she’s just super pissed that everyone is treating her like a useless sack of stones.
But, there is no solution to this unfortunate situation. Her kids (other than wayward son) loves her very much and hates the idea of putting her in a nursing home. At the same time, everyone has an additional duty to ensure that she’s well taken care of, and this is taking a toll on their daily lives.
Sigh…
That’s why I know that in the future, I’d rather stick myself in a nursing home and not let my kids be burdened with me.
As I am writing this, she is muttering under her breath about how betrayed she feels and how ungrateful her daughter is.
Sometimes.. i’m afraid to grow old this way too.. and burden my kid. Yer right..! i rather stay in a nursing home… then to make life difficult for her.. coz’ she will have her own family and all.
Sigh… yea. Getting old is easy. Being old and diseased…is another thing.
Comment by Mama BoK — July 3, 2007 @ 6:28 am
Sometimes things don’t work out the way we plan. But I think it’s the kid’s decision too. Maybe they want to take care irregardless. Not every child wants to chuck their parent in a nursing home.
You know what? You always make me think deeper. For that…I will be writing a post on this!
Comment by jonzz — July 3, 2007 @ 7:39 am
Whenever I read your post about alzheimer, it reminds me of my grandma. This post especially as my grandma did somewhat similar things too when my aunt drops her at our place when she had to run errands.
Sigh..u know it. I know it. Sigh…
Comment by WMD — July 3, 2007 @ 10:02 am
My wife always said that when my kids r old enuff, they’ll chuck me into a nursing home.
I always reply when they’re old enuff, I’ll check myself in!
WAKAKAKAAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAK!!!!! *wipes tears from eyes*
Comment by adrian — July 3, 2007 @ 12:33 pm
i dun think i will put my parents in, unless i am totally unable to assist them…that’s gonna be very hard to do leh!
hey u will be a sweet ol’ lady la hahahah…ur definitely not a burden!
cough cough cough……ah….WHAT? Sweet? cough cough cough….
Comment by mommy of 2 angels — July 4, 2007 @ 6:46 am
thats why i make sure tat Big C dun die first. I die first. Then no need to think about this. hahah but seriously i dun wanna go old folks home la. cham cham hor?
My grandma also condem us , esp me when she went nyanyuk. Sigh…
Actually, no need Alzheimer aso, can nyanyuk…how??? WAKAKAKAKAKAAKAK!
Comment by sasha — July 4, 2007 @ 12:07 pm
Malaysian Nursing Home not nice lah… Maybe someone can start a LUXURY 5* nursing home that we can check ourselves in?
Comment by nomadicmom — July 5, 2007 @ 7:48 am